Signal system



D. LMCCARTHY.

SIGNAL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. I920.

1,389,061. x. Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

fl i I I v I I 12 jwwu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL J. MGCABTHY,OF ELGIN,YILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO RAILWAY SIGNAL AND SUPPLY COMPANY, 01' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL J. MCCARTHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in signal systems.

One of the objects of the invention is generally to improve signal systems in which changeable colored lights are, alternatively, projected from the same source, or through a lens common to all of the lights.

Another object is to provide a polychrome system, such as used in railway service, in which the source of the danger, or red light, is always'energized and which character of light will be projected directly through the lens in the event that the means for substituting therefor the lights characterizing other conditions of operation, such for example as clear and caution and the like, fail to operate, thereby automatically caus ing the exhibition of the indication danger upon failure of operation of the system.

Another object is to provide a simple and eflective mechanism for producing the result outlined above.

Other, further and more specific objects of the invention will become readily apparent, to persons skilled in the art, from a consideration of the following description, when taken in conjunction with the drawin s, wherein igure 1 is a schematic plan view, parts being shown in section, indicating the relation of the parts to produce the results sought. 'Fig. 1 shows graphically the position the parts occupy for exhibiting a green light through the lens.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the position of the parts when a yellow light is rojected, and

ig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the apparatus showing the electric circuits disclosed in Fig. 3 connected to Fig. 2 for convenience of showing the parts.

In all the views the same reference characters are emplo ed to indicate similar parts.

In the drawings, no attempt has been made in 1 and 2 to produce an organized structure, the parts being displayed in their respective positions without reference to any means of support.

5 is a rotatable and vertically movable prism, or light reflector, shown mounted upon a stem 6 that is supported by a core 7 from the electro-magnet 8. Another stem, 9, or a portion of the stem 6, is continued below the electro-magnet core and carries an elongated pinion 10. The stem is further continued, as at 11, and carries an axially movable collar 12, that is adjustable thereon by screw 13. The collar 12 is for the purpose of providing a stopfor the vertical movement of the parts connected with the core 7, of the electro-magnet 8. A magnet 14 has a core 15, connected to which is arack 16, in mesh with the elongated pinion 10. Another magnet 17, is provided with a core 18, to which is connected a rack 19 of similar character, and which is also in mesh with the elongated pinion 10. These racks are guided in the. structure 20 that surrounds the pinion so that when the core 18 is drawn into the magnet 17, it will rotate the pinion in one direction while the core 15 when drawn into the'magnet 14;, will rotate the pinion in the opposite direction. When the positive rotation of the pinion is thus effected, the active core will bring out of the other magnet its core into position advantageous for its movement, when the respective magnet is energized.

Lamp 21 may be green, or it may have in front of it a green plate 22 which is more or less transparent, giving to the light projected from the lamp 21 a green color. When the light from the lamp 21 strikes the prism or reflector 5, it is projected through the lens 23, producing a beam of green light. Now, when the prism 5 is 1'0- -tated into the position shown in Fig. 2 and the yellow lamp 24 is energized, or when a clear lamp behind a yellow plate 25 is active, a yellow light will be projected through the prism and through the lens 23 and a beam of yellow light will be projected from the signal. Now, looking at Fig. 3, it will be noticed that, normally, the prism 5 is below a line taken on the horizontal axis of the lens 23 and the red lamp 26, and therefore when the prism 5 is in the position shown, the red light, emanating from the lamp 26, and the screen 27, is unobstructed and the lens 23 will project a shaft of red light from the signal apparatus. The red light may burn constantly, being energized from a suitable source by the wires 28 and 29.

Now, assume that the switch 30 be closed, by any suitable means, the circuit from the battery 31 will be over the wire 32 through the lamp 21 to the switch 30, then through the magnet 17 causing the magnet to rotate pinion 10 in direction to put the prism 1n the position shown in Fig. 1, at the same time electro-magnet 8, being in circuit with themagnet 17 by the wire 34, will attract its core 7 and liftthe core, with theprism 5, and the pinion .10 being elongated will easily slip along the racks 16 and 19. The back 36 of the prism may be opaque soas to shut oil the efi'ect of the red light 26 when the prism is in elevated position, so that in the event that the magnets 14, 17 or 8 should become deenergized for any'reason, or in the event that the lamps 21 and 24, as the case may be, should become ruptured and thereby open the circuit, the prism 5 will fall, as a result of gravity, and the light, from the lamp 26 or the danger lamp, no longer being obstructed by the prism, will shine freely through the lens 23 and indicate danger. As soon as the switch 30 is open, the electro-magnet 8 -will become deenerglzed and the result will be that the prism 5 will drop into the position shown in Fig. 3 by the effect of gravity. Now, assume that 'the switch 40 be closed by any means. circuit will then be from the battery 31' over the wire 41 through the lamp 24, which is the source of the yellow light, and through the wire 42 to the magnet 14, thereby rotating the prism or reflecting mirror into the position shown in Fig. 2, while the electromagnet 8 will raise the prism, or reflector, so as to obscure the effect of the lamp 26 and to bring the prism or reflector within the field of illumination produced by the lamp 24 thereby causing the signal apparatus to project through the lens 23, a shaft of yellow light.

Instead of using a prism shown by the reference character 5, a light reflector of approved character such as a mirror may be employed, and it is preferable, in the op.- eration of the device, to have a backing 36, which is opaque, and which will shut oif the light from the red lamp when the prism is interposed between the red lamp and the lens 23, to reflect light from the other lamps, as it will be when the magnet 8 is energized for that purpose. By this means, the red light being constantly energized, the danger signal characterized by this colored light, will immediately be projected from the signaling apparatus upon the deenergization of the circuits heretofore described, whether those circuits be intentionally or accident-- ally opened.

Any suitable stops for the cores 15 and 18, with respect to their magnets, or windings 14 and 17 respectively, may be employed, so that the prism, or reflector, will be, invariably, rotated to a given extent, each time that either of the magnets is energized, and therefore it does not make any difierence in what position the prism is when it is below the field of illumination of the red light, it will be'properly rotated by the effect of the magnets, 14 and 17, at the time when it is raised by the magnet 8 to a position within the field of illumination coming from lamps 21 or 24.. v

While I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention for the purpose of clear disclosure, it will be manifest, to persons. skilled in the art, that changes in the disposition and configuration of the parts may be made in the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure'by'Letters Patent is 1. A signal system having a plurality of lamps angularly related with respect to a common center, one of said lamps arranged to project its light directly to an objective point; a reflector, located at said center, to reflect the light of the other lamps, alternatively, to said point. 'normallv below the field of.ill umination of. the first mentioned lamp; electric means to raise the reflector into the field of illumination of said lamps and electric means to properly rotate the reflector, to obscure the light from the first mentioned lamp) and to provide means whereby to direct the light from one of the other lamps to said objective point, said scure the light from the intermediate lamp and to provide means whereby'to direct the light from one of the side lamps to said objective point, each said side lamp and its rotating means being in series circuit with each other and with the raising means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name.

DANIEL J. MQCARTHY.

other lamp and the electric raising and ro- 

